Hotel stays with kids in tow can be a lot of logistics and not much magic. Sonesta is betting that a bit of make-believe can change that. The company has rolled out 'Young Royals', a family programme that reframes a stay at its Royal Sonesta properties as a royal adventure running from check-in to check-out.
The concept is simple: kids get crowned when they arrive, get a mascot to boss around, and spend the stay completing quests. In practice, that means a welcome coronation, mascot appearances around the hotel, and a series of add-ons designed to keep young guests occupied without parents having to invent entertainment on the fly.
The package includes a colouring and storybook called Once Upon a Stay, which introduces a cast of characters tied to different destinations. Each child also gets a plush version of the property's mascot as a stay-long companion, plus a crown-making kit so they can design their own headwear — and keep it as a souvenir afterwards.
On the experiential side, properties are promising dedicated play spaces and in-room or banquet-room castle setups pitched as the big 'wow' moment. Once crowned, kids can take on the Royal Quest, a property-wide scavenger hunt with clues and challenges that nudges families to actually explore the hotel rather than camp out in the room. Even meals get the treatment, with a dedicated kids' menu and branded cups so dinner feels like part of the game rather than a negotiation.
Where can you actually try it? The programme launches at five Royal Sonesta properties: Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown, Royal Sonesta San Juan in Puerto Rico, Royal Sonesta Washington DC Capitol Hill, The Benjamin Royal Sonesta New York, and The Yorkville Royal Sonesta Hotel in Toronto.
For parents, the appeal is less about crowns and more about structure. A stay with built-in activities — a scavenger hunt, a storybook, a mascot to find — is a stay with fewer 'what do we do now' moments. It also gives the kids a sense of ownership over the trip, which tends to make everything smoother. If you're booking a city break to Chicago, DC, New York or Toronto, or a beach trip to San Juan, it's worth checking whether your dates line up with the programme's rollout at these properties.
It's also a sign of where family travel is heading: brands are competing for the under-12 set with experiences rather than just cribs and kids' clubs. Expect to see more of this from other chains as family travellers keep prioritising memorable moments over room size alone.
